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Taroudant - In its leading role in the fight against religious extremism that has emerged in Africa, Morocco has established a religious center in the capital of Rabat to train imams in the teachings of tolerant Islam.
A group of Malian Imams arrived recently in Rabat on to study tolerant Islam. In addition to Quranic studies, the Malian imams will learn about the life of the prophet Mohammad, study Arabic grammar, as well as Communications and Computer Sciences.
Speaking in a promotional video aired by TV5monde, AbdelIslam Lazaar, Director of Training for the Malians imams, said, "The purpose of this training is to help the imams exercise their functions properly in their home countries . . . and be able to recognize ideas that are harmful to Islam.”
With respect to training imams on tolerant Islam, Idrissa Traoré, a Malian student, said “I don't know about other countries, but at home it is a way to fight against terrorism because whenever a religious man speaks, everybody listen.”
With an investment of 3 million euros, the kingdom provides for the training of these imams for a period of two years with full room and board at the training center.
The training center has made available for imams a multimedia room equipped with computers and internet. The center also gives courses on computer studies.
One of the imams revealed to the TV5monde’s reporter that it is the first time he has seen a computer.
Speaking about the main purpose behind teaching Malian imams computer science and internet, Sanae Benmenana, a computer trainer, said, "We want the imams to leave a good impression of themselves on the internet.”
Being a model in the whole region for moderate Islam under the Sunni Maliki School of thought, the kingdom of Morocco has received applications from several countries to train their imams including Nigeria, Gabon, Maldives, Chechnya, and France.
According to the same source, the Union of French mosques will send 50 imams to the religious center of Rabat in January, 2015.
Edited by Elisabeth Myers
